Final answer:
The glandular appearance of the cortex of the kidney is due to the arrangement of the functional units of the kidney called nephrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The glandular appearance of the cortex of the kidney is due to the arrangement of the functional units of the kidney called the nephrons. Each kidney is made up of over one million nephrons that dot the renal cortex, giving it a granular appearance. A nephron consists of three parts - a renal corpuscle, a renal tubule, and the associated capillary network.